Reflection & Research
Collage of L5 final pieces.
L6 Proposal
L6 Proposal Feedback
After reading my proposal feedback, some of the key points taken are:
Further exploration of cultural heritage and identity.
Jewellers who focus on cultural heritage rather than just processes.
Why? Why jewellery? Why Filigree? Why Plique a Jour?
What's my motivation and ambition?
Why Brass? Plating?
Based on this, I will explore my cultural heritage and identity by learning more about Persian culture, including gaining more knowledge of Islamic geometry and the symbolisms behind it, so that I can better understand and incorporate this into my work.
I also want to explore the side of me I grew up knowing, which is growing up here in Manchester. Exploring what the city means to me and figuring out a way of artistically exploring and combining both sides to create a body of work unique to my story.
In addition to this, I am going to further research artists who base their work on their cultural heritage rather than just processes as inspiration to see how they use this to influence their art.
Jewellery is something that has always been special and significant in mine and my mother's relationship and something I have always enjoyed. Since starting to create jewellery myself, it is something I love doing and love the personal attachment and stories that it can have.
I have previously used brass because of the gold-like colour it has as I prefer gold jewellery aesthetically. As a student I can't afford to buy gold, however, I could potentially use Silver and get it gold-plated for my final pieces. I aspire to become a Goldsmith in the future.
The Guild for Life Long Learning
Towards the end of L5 I came in contact with a Jeweller and teacher Hannah Webb. Hannah teaches jewellery classes at The Guild for Life Long Learning in Wilmslow. A friend had previously been to her classes and told me about them. I decided to contact Hannah and ask if she would be willing to allow me to do some kind of work experience with her.
The Guild for Lifelong Learning is an education centre with a sense of community which aims to provide an environment for lifelong learning. The Guild has a wide variety of courses available to be able to join each year.
Over the summer, I was going to The Guild and helping out in Hannah's classes. This was quite an informal arrangement. I helped out where I could with my experience level, as a lot of her students are new to jewellery and range in age.
Hannah also has given me lots of advice and knowledge due to her having been in the jewellery industry for a long time. Creating a mutually beneficial relationship. She has also introduced me to The Enamellers Guild which she is a part of and invited me to attend with her on numerous occasions.
Guild of Enamelers
The Guild of Enamellers is an enamelling society based in the UK which promotes the craft and skill of enamelling, as well as providing opportunities, including bursaries for enamellers regardless of experience and skill level.
There are numerous meetings around the UK in different regions throughout the year. The nearest one to Manchester is in Shrewsbury, which is where I have been a few times now. Other members at the meetings have generally been a lot older than me but have been enamelling as their hobby for many years. There is no direct teacher. However, equipment is provided, and as the other members have a great amount of knowledge, they are willing to help and give advice if needed to someone like me who is less experienced.
In some meetings, they have guest enamellers come in to teach certain techniques, or sometimes they travel abroad to do classes with particular enamelists. In one meeting I attended, they had a lady called Deba Mcdonald showing how to make a rippled copper plaque using various enamels and techniques.
However, as I have been interested in learning Plique á Jour, I have used my time at the meetings to gain knowledge on the technique from the other members and have been practicing that whilst there, which has been an invaluable learning experience for me.
Unfortunately, I missed the deadline for the application for the bursary this year as I wasn't aware of it. However, I will be applying for it next year.
The work space where the guild meet
First sample pieces
First sample pieces held up to the light
Deba Mcdonald demonstrating
Finished pieces from the session
I have joined the Enamellers Guild, which will give me access to online tutorials, various resources, and discounts. As well as the opportunity to attend meetings with other members and gain knowledge from them. Some of these meetings include classes based on a certain area.
Franny & Filer
Franny and Filer is an independent contemporary jewellery gallery in Chorlton showing work from emerging and established makers. I visited here over the summer and had a nice conversation with one of the owners.
It was interesting to see a variety of independent jewellers work on the market at a retail level as this is potentially something I will be doing in the future.
Faam Gallery
Mahbanoo Kakapour
Mostafa Salehi Doulabi
Maryam Sha baba Moqadam
Hamed Ja’fari
Nasim Etemadi Esfarjani
Faam Gallery is an independent gallery founded by Marziyeh Ramezani in 1993. The gallery aims to promote Iranian art and culture to a wider global audience, influencing the first Persian Contemporary Arts Movement.
The London venue first opened in 2016. Since then, various exhibitions such as Persian Motifs used in Jewellery Design, the 25 Centuries of Persian Architecture and others have been exhibited at the gallery.
Over the summer, I couldn't get to London; however, I did get the exhibition catalogues from previous exhibitions through the library and was incredibly inspired by the work in these. Unfortunately, there was no information on the jewellers whose work was in the catalogues. I did contact the gallery to try to gain further information after not finding anything online. The gallery responded by saying they would try to find more information. However, I didn't hear back even after following up.
Despite this, seeing the work inside the catalogues was inspiring, being made aware that jewellers in Iran make pieces using techniques I aim to experiment with in my work.
Artist Research
Movarid Alavifard
Morvarid is an Iranian multidisciplinary artist based in the UK. She mainly focuses on Silversmithing and Jewellery. Her work reflects her experiences as an Iranian woman, exploring the intricate relationship between human senses and objects, particularly touch. Through her metalwork, Morvarid challenges conventional notions of material value and experiences. She recently exhibited at The Goldsmith’s Fair North and GNCCF.
Over the summer, I contacted Movarid to ask if I could visit her studio in Sheffield and speak with her about her practice. Unfortunately, she had a busy schedule coming up, but she suggested that I go and speak to her at GNCCF. I did this, and she was extremely lovely and came to view my work and give me feedback, expressing how technically challenging my sample pieces were and how impressed she was. It was incredible to hear from someone who is from outside of university and a professional in the industry I want to be in.
Following this, I have spoken to Movarid on Instagram and have arranged for me to go to her studio in November 2024.
Mo's work is inspiring to me as her work is very much about using metal as her diary and expressing her emotion through this, which is something I am to do in mine. I also admire that her work is playful and designed for viewers to hold and feel the pieces. I believe this gives the viewer their own experience with the work. The engraving work is beautiful, as well as the combination of silver and gold in some pieces.
Sima Vaziry
Sima's work for her collection at the British Museum.
Sima Vaziry is an Iranian Jeweller whose work is highly recognised by the British Museum. Her work is influenced by Persian, Afghan and Middle Eastern calligraphy, architecture and textures. She focuses on tradition but expresses her work in a contemporary way. Sima passes on her knowledge by teaching and delivering talks around London. She has won many awards and has appeared on TV, in the press and radio appearances.
I did reach out to Sims over the summer. However, I didn't hear back.
Although Simas's work is more commercial than what I aim my work to be like, I admire her status as an Iranian jeweller and what she has achieved and continues to do in her career. I hope to influence people in my career as she has in hers.
Mariam Syeds
Mariam Syeds is an award-winning designer and textile weaver with a Pakistani heritage. She has a passion for rich colour and geometry. She takes inspiration from her hometown, Karachi, where buses and trucks are brightly decorated in colour and pattern. She completed an 8-day course on Islamic geometric patterns at the Alquería de Rosales Cultural Foundation in Spain through her QUEST scholarship.
Inspiration I take from Mariam's work is her use of colour. Colour is something I want to use in my work as there is a huge influence of this in the architecture in Iran, and I believe it adds a lot of character.
Ibrahim Said
Ibrahim is a Ceramicist, born and raised in Cairo, Egypt. His first experience outside of Egypt was when he got the chance to exhibit his work as an Egyptian artist representative at a craft fair in Belgium. His work is inspired by traditional Islamic art and architecture. He started working with ceramics at 6 years old with his father in his workshop.
I love the use of patterns in Ibrahim's work. Since trying to draw geometric patterns myself, I have come to appreciate the difficulty and skill of drawing them and getting them accurate. The forms of his work are delicate and sophisticated. These are all qualities I would like to have in my work too.
Victoria Lansford
Victoria is an artist and educator, working with various techniques such as Filigree, granulation, chain making and Eastern repoussé and chasing. She has taught and mentored many metalsmiths around the globe. She creates incredible 3D Filigree pieces. Her work has been exhibited in many museums and art institutions. She explores feminine power within her work, combining historical metal smithing techniques with a contemporary twist.
Victoria’s work is incredibly intricate and beautiful, which I aim to achieve in my work. Her method to create 3D filigree work creates a whole new concept for the technique and is something I want to practice myself.
Technical Research
The two main techniques I want to explore throughout this year are Filigree and Plique a Jour. I recorded any information I discovered throughout testing different stages of these processes.
Plique a Jour
• French enamelling technique from the 14th century
• Rediscovered around 1900
• There was a key innovation in the Art Nouveau period
• It became especially popular in Russia
• It is not often used due to its difficulty level
It isn't traditionally used in the Middle East however I think this technique is incredibly beautiful, and it has the qualities of stained glass windows which is something which is used in mosques all around the world including in Iran.
Filigree
• Earliest known filigree examples date back to the Middle East around 3000 BC in the Mesopotamia era
• Also first known in Egypt, Greece and Rome
• Traditionally done in Gold or Silver
This technique involves twisting and then flattening the wires and coiling or twisting these to fill a frame, followed by soldering the wires in place to create a solid piece.
Filigree and Plique a Jour are complex techniques that require lots of patience. I am naturally drawn to work with a high level of detail as this catches my eye. They are techniques I wanted to try when I came across them. Filigree is used traditionally in many countries including jewellery in the Middle East. When initially seeing a filigree piece it gives a wow factor due to the intricate nature of the technique. It is also a reasonably accessible technique to do in terms of the equipment and tools needed for it. Plique a Jour is similar to Filigree in terms of the delicate nature of the work. However, Plique a Jour is less accessible because a kiln is needed.
Despite this, I will be self-teaching the techniques as the technicians at the university don’t know how to do them specifically. Because of this, I have researched a lot online on forums, YouTube, Instagram, and jewellery groups on Facebook to learn how to use these techniques.
Practical Research
Over the summer, I had a go making a ring, including doing a bezel setting, which is something I have little experience in doing. As well as this, I made filigree wire and had a go making some test pieces with this. However, I didn't have the right solder for this, as usually powdered solder is used to get an even distribution all over the piece, but I didn't have it. Since then, I have bought some and will be practicing with this going forward.
Geometric ring I made over summer
sketches for filigree
filigree pieces
Communications
Below are some communications I had over the summer.
Going forward
Since summer, I have been happy with the point I was at with my research. I could have made more samples, but with work/life commitments and financial difficulties in buying new tools and equipment to practice, I wasn't able to do this as much as I'd liked. Besides this, I believe I managed to give the technical aspects of both techniques, Filigree and Plique á jour a go so that I could get a better understanding of what is needed to do these successfully. I learnt a lot just from the little practice I had.
Although I have a narrative from my work I am passionate about, at this stage, I felt stuck about where I wanted to take my project. I knew what techniques I wanted to practice, but I wasn't sure about forms or what I wanted to make.
The techniques I have chosen are difficult to achieve to a high standard. However, I like to push myself and challenge my abilities and instead make an active effort to manage my time better to be able to have enough time to practice to achieve my goal.